1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an open ear canal earpiece, and more particularly to an open ear canal earpiece which is capable of communicating with external devices over a wireless link.
2. State of the Art
The telecommunications industry has been in a rapid growth state for the past decade. The result of such growth has been the proliferation of communications systems, e.g., telephones, cellular phones, and computer networks, and thus the ability to contact someone when they are away from the house or the office. With the increase in cellular phones, there has been a demand for hands free methods of communicating either via a cellular phone or by a regular phone. One such method is a headset with a boom microphone. The headset can either have one or two earpieces which fit over the ear and a boom mike which is attached to the earpiece assembly and extends out in from the user's mouth. The headset is either secured by resting on the head or is secured by being attached behind the ear. The problem with this assembly is that it is cosmetically unattractive and uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. Furthermore, it is large, highly visible, cumbersome, and unsuitable for hands free operation while driving or walking.
Another problem with the traditional headset and boom mike assemblies is that these assemblies do not modify the voice signals in the earpiece so as to allow for the correction of various hearing impairments. Conventional hearing aids are typically employed that are configured to fit either behind the ear or in the ear. Through various signal processing techniques, sounds to be delivered to the ear are processed to facilitate and optimize the hearing of the user throughout the usable audible frequency range. However, these devices block the ear canal so that little or no sounds reach the ear in a natural, unaided manner. Furthermore, such devices have drawbacks, such as feedback, when used with communication devices such as telephones.
Conventional hearing aids generally provide adequate processing throughout the necessary frequency range for most hearing impairments. However, these types of devices are not optimal for people having mild hearing losses for a number of reasons. Conventional hearing aids can unnecessarily amplify loud sounds so that these sounds become uncomfortable and annoying to the mild hearing loss users. In many hearing aids, such loud sounds are also distorted by the sound processing circuitry, significantly reducing the intelligibility of speech or the quality of other sounds. In addition, these types of hearing aids often introduce phase shifts to received sounds, resulting in a reduction of the user's ability to localize sound sources. These hearing aids can therefore degrade certain sounds that the mild hearing loss user could otherwise hear adequately without any aid. Conventional hearing aid systems cause a problem known as the occlusion effect. The occlusion effect is the increased loudness of low frequency sounds due to transmission of sound by tissue conduction when the ear canal is blocked and air conduction is impeded, resulting in sounds which are both unnatural and uncomfortable for the user. Additionally, these traditional hearing aids are overly complicated and burdensome to users having mild hearing losses.
Thus, there is a need for a communications earpiece which allows for hands free communication through a cellular phone or other two-way communications device which is unobtrusive and cosmetically attractive. At the same time, the earpiece would need to leave the ear canal at least partially open to allow the users with mild hearing impairment or no hearing impairment to receive ambient sounds via the ear canal. Furthermore, the earpiece should be capable of providing modifications to the sounds produced by the earpiece so as to compensate for any hearing impairment.